A World Apart (The Hands of Time: Book 3) (20 page)

The place had no windows, but a feeble light from the moon shone through the cracks between the planks.  The rain must have stopped, the sky finally clearing up.  Valerie turned her head to the side, trying to determine where she was.  It took a few moments, but her eyes finally adjusted to the darkness allowing her to make out some shapes.  She was in some kind of tool shed, rakes and spades fighting for space with broken bits of furniture and bags of something.  She was tied to a chair, her hands and feet bound securely to the wood.  Thank God they hadn’t gagged her.  She supposed there was no point in screaming for help.  No one would hear.  Would they come back or just leave her here?  Valerie looked around again.  The vision in her left eye was blurred since it was tearing and swelling from the blow she’d received.  Her head throbbed, and her bladder begged for relief.  She had to find a way to get free before her attackers came back.  It was her only chance. 

Oh, Alec,
how will you ever find me?
she thought, knowing that Alec must be out searching for her by that time. 
Okay, calm down and think rationally.  There must be a way to get free
.  Valerie looked around again.  She needed something sharp to cut through the ropes binding her wrists.  Then she would be able to untie her feet and look for a way out of the shed.  She’d just spotted something that looked like a broken scythe when the door to the shed opened up with a creak of protest from the rusted hinges.  Valerie froze in helpless terror.  The man was alone, and he’d obviously been drinking heavily.  He limped into the shed, peering into the darkness.  Valerie had no trouble recognizing him.  His features were etched into her brain.  He stopped directly in front of her, filling the shed with the reek of stale sweat, strong drink, and tobacco.  His words were slurred, but Valerie had no trouble understanding him. 

“Are ye enjoying yer new accommodations, ducks?  Ye best get used to it.  Ye’ll be here for a while, I reckon.  I
‘ave not quite decided what to do with ye yet, but till I do, ye’ll just stay as ye are.  ‘Twill give ye some time to think of what yer man must be going through.  I’d be frantic if someone took my woman, if I ‘ad one, that is,” he said with mock sorrow, laughing at his own wit.  “Shame ‘e’ll never find out what ‘appened to ye.  I plan to use ye well, ducks.  Show ye what a real man can do.”  He came closer, grabbing her breast and squeezing it painfully.  “And after I’m done, I’ll decide ‘ow to best get rid of ye.”  The man grinned at her, obviously enjoying himself. 

“I need to pee,” Valerie announced.  She’d noticed Percival Gale limping noticeably when he entered the shed.  If he would just untie her, she might have a chance.  She could outrun him if she managed to get pas
t him.  The man was built like a brick house, but if she squatted, pretending to pee, maybe she’d gain some element of surprise if she charged him, possibly knocking him over.  Valerie’s hopes of escape were quickly dashed as Percival smiled at her, revealing rotten teeth.  The slap came as a surprise, leaving her ear ringing and her lip bleeding again.

“Now, what kind of talk is that for a lady of yer station, I ask ye?  No breeding.  What would that pompous British
‘usband of yers say if ‘e heard ye talking like a common fishwife?  Shame on ye.  I reckon ye’ll just ‘ave to piss on yerself.  That’ll give ye something to think about as ye sit ‘ere all night, wet and stinking.  I’ll be back in the morning to check on ye, ducky.  ‘Ave a lovely evening.” 

With that, he left the shed, locking the door after him.  Valerie could hear a key turning in the lock as a heavy chain clattered against the wooden door.  Untying herself would not be the only problem. 

Valerie waited until all was quiet again before turning her attention back to the floor.  The only way to reach the broken piece of scythe would be to turn over the chair, falling on her side.  It would hurt, especially since she had to fall on the side that had already been battered.  Valerie took a deep breath and began rocking from side to side.  She’d seen people do that in movies, but it wasn’t as easy in real life.  The chair was low and sturdy; the legs firmly planted in the dirt floor of the shed, pinned down by her weight.  She counted to ten to calm herself and started again.  It took her some time to budge even a little, but she kept trying until the chair began to tilt. 
A few more times
, she thought as she leaned to the left with all her weight. 

Valerie hit the earth hard as the chair finally toppled.  The wooden back crashed down on her upper arm, smashing the bone.  The pain that radiated through her arm left her breathless and gasping.  To move her arm even a fraction was absolute agony, but Valerie couldn’t afford to waste time.  She had to get close enough to reach the scythe, which was somewhere behind her head.  If she failed, she would be at the mercy of her captor once the drink wore off
, and he was ready to deal with her.  The thought of him touching her, galvanized her into action. 

Valerie used her bound feet to try to rotate herself to bring her hands closer to the scythe.  She bit her lip to keep from crying out as every move
ment put pressure on her injured arm, grinding it into the dirt floor.  She had to stop every few minutes to catch her breath while stretching her fingers in an effort to reach the scythe.  Her head was pressed to the floor, so she couldn’t see where the metal was, having to grope blindly.  It must have taken her nearly an hour to finally position herself in such a way that her fingers could grasp the piece of metal.  It felt cold and hard in her hand as she carefully wrapped her fingers around it, feeling for the sharp edge.  She had to position the sharp part against the rope and cut through it without cutting her wrists.  If she cut herself, she could bleed to death. 

Valerie moved the scythe experimentally, sliding it against the rope bi
nding her wrists.  She scratched herself painfully, stopping to readjust her grip on the metal.  Valerie tried again, more carefully this time.  She felt the resistance of the hemp against the blade, but at least she had it at the right angle.  She moved the scythe very slowly, moving the blade only a few millimeters at a time.  Her left side was growing numb from lying on the ground with the chair pressed against her, and she was shivering with cold and the need to go to the bathroom, but she forced everything out of her mind, focusing only on the broken piece of metal in her hand. 

The light in the shed grew dimmer as the moon rose higher in the sky, no longer shining through the cracks.  The light was
so feeble that Valerie could barely see the door.  She closed her eyes in concentration, continuing to saw at the thick rope.  She had no idea how long passed before she finally felt the rope loosening around her wrists.  She had to be even more careful now, not to cut herself as the blade came closer to her skin.  She moved it carefully back and forth, back and forth, until the last of the fibers finally gave, allowing her to free her hands.    Her fingers were bleeding from slipping on the sharp blade, but it was nothing – just scratches. 

Now she had to free her feet.  That went quicker, since at least that was in front of her rather than behind, but she could only use her right hand since her left arm was still pinned
under the chair, and she couldn’t manage to push herself back up.  Valerie must have been on the floor for several hours before she finally managed to saw through the rope and free herself.  Her legs shook so badly she could barely stand, but she pulled herself up, walking around the shed to get the circulation back into her numb legs and feet.  She held her left arm against her side, unable to move it even a little without extreme pain.  She stepped into the corner and peed, sighing with relief as her aching bladder finally emptied itself.  Now, she had to get the door open before they came back for her.  If she couldn’t do that, she had to be prepared, striking her captors as they entered the shed. 

Valerie looked around again.  There wasn’t too much she could do with a broken rake or bits of furniture, but the spade could be useful.  She tried inserting it between the planks and applying all her strength, but the wood wouldn’t splinter.  It was too thick and might break the spade.  She needed a new plan
, and she didn’t have too much time.  Valerie began to dig frantically, trying to make a hole large enough to crawl through to the other side.  She had to get away from this place well before dawn, or all her efforts would have been for naught.  Every time she lifted a spadeful of dirt, she thought she would pass out from the pain in her left arm, but she had to keep going.

Valerie was shaking with strain as she emptied one shovelful after another onto the shed floor, digging with all her might.  She was drenched in sweat, her dress covered with
dirt, but she didn’t care.  There was no chance of rescue, so she had to rescue herself.  It couldn’t be more than a few hours till dawn, so she didn’t have much time.

Valerie froze as she saw a dark shadow just outside the shed.  It stood silently, listening, barely breathing.  She had no idea what to do, so she huddled in the corner, holding her breath.  Was she safer in or out of the shed?  The shadow shifted, moving away from the door. 

Valerie leaned against the wall, panting.  Whoever it was seemed to have gone and she needed to keep digging.  She was just about to drive the spade into the dirt when the sound of wrenching metal stopped her in her tracks.

Valerie positioned herself in the darkest corner, spade raised above her head.  Her heart was pounding, her knees buckling with fear, and her arm was on fire, shaking with the strain of holding up the spade.  The door of the shed vibrated with every blow, the sound of screeching metal thunderous in the quiet of the night.  Valerie slid to the ground with relief as Alec burst into the shed, catching her just before she hit the ground. 

“Valerie, are you hurt?  Val, look at me.”  Alec grabbed her by the arms, gazing into her face. 
She could barely see him in the darkness, but she didn’t need to.  He’d found her.  She opened her mouth to answer him, but a terrible blackness seemed to swallow her up as her body gave up after hours of fighting against the fear and excruciating pain. 

Valerie heard Alec’s voice coming from somewhere very far away.  He was calling her name, begging her to wake up, but she simply couldn’t.  She was floating peacefully up above, no longer scared or
hurting.  He’d come for her, and now she could just rest for a while, safe in the knowledge that Alec would take care of her. 

“Valerie, please wake up.”  Alec was gently slapping her cheeks in an effort to get her to come around.  He sounded frantic.  Valerie felt a jolt as her soul rejoined her body on the cold, damp floor of the shed.  She forced herself to open her eyes, gazing up at Alec.   

“Alec, how on earth did you find me?”  Valerie was shaking now, the shock wearing off and the pain setting in again.  Her arm felt as if an elephant had stepped on it.  Valerie made an effort to sit up, but fell right back with a moan of pain.  Her teeth were chattering, her body convulsing uncontrollably.  Alec held her up as he wrapped his coat snugly around her, holding her close.  He took in the overturned chair, rope, and the hole she’d been digging, gaping like a freshly dug grave. 

“They left you here tied up overnight?”
he asked, his voice low with fury.  Valerie just nodded. 

“Alec
, let’s go before they discover I’m gone.  How far are we from Williamsburg?”  Valerie nearly fainted again as Alec took hold of her arm, helping her to her feet.  “My arm…” she gasped. 

“Is it broken?” Alec was gently feeling her upper arm, looking for broken bones. 

“I don’t know, but it hurts like hell.”  She held her arm by the elbow with her right hand as they walked toward the woods.  It hurt less that way.    

“I want you to wait for me in the woods, Valerie.  I have some business to take care of before we leave and I need to know that you
’re safe.”  Valerie saw the gleam in his eyes and shook her head. 

“What are you
planning to do?  They are at least two of them, and they’re armed, Alec.  Please, let’s just go,” she pleaded.  All she wanted was to get away from this horrible place and lie down for a while.  Her head was spinning, and her legs were wobbly from strain and fatigue, but Alec had his own ideas.

“Valerie, I can forgive a few bruised ribs, but I can’t forgive the kidnapping and beating of my wife.  God only knows what they were planning to do to you.  I can’t walk away from this – not now.”  Alec’s face was set in a look of grim determination, leaving Valerie in no doubt that he would see this through. 

“I’m coming with you, and nothing you say will change my mind.” 

“All right,” he answered with a sigh.  “Let’s go then.  I have a plan.” 

The sky was just beginning to lighten in the east, going from an inky black to a muted gray, as they slipped into the woods at the edge of the clearing.  It was still dark in the woods, the milky light of early morning unable to permeate the thick foliage nearly blocking out the sky.  The house was clearly visible from their vantage point, a thin spiral of smoke curling lazily from the chimney.  It was a one-story structure with a sloped roof and two small windows at the front, the shutters open and hanging at an odd angle.  The whole place looked derelict and unkempt.  Percival Gale was obviously not especially handy.  There were only two outbuildings on the property. A barn and a privy.  Alec primed his gun and pushed it into the waistband of his breeches.  He wasn’t wearing a sword, but a dagger was sticking out of his boot, just barely visible above the shaft.

“What if there are women and children in there?” Valerie whispered, grabbing his arm.

“There aren’t.”

“How do you know? 
Alec, I don’t want you to have the death of these men on your soul.  Let’s just go.  We can report them to the authorities once we get back to Williamsburg.”

“Valerie, let me handle this my way.  I walked away once, and look what happened.  I nearly lost you.  I didn’t aim to kill
Percival Gale when he attacked me, but I should have.  They were going to hurt you and possibly kill you.  I would kill a hundred men to protect you and keep you safe.  Now, let me do what I came here to do.  Please wait for me here.” 

Alec
didn’t wait for her to answer, walking stealthily toward the house.  He was just a few feet away from the door when it began to open, revealing the squat figure of Percival Gale.  He looked sleepy and disheveled as he stumbled from the house, unsteady on his feet and probably hung-over from a long night of drinking.  His face was covered with dark stubble, his unbound hair in disarray.  Alec had just enough time to step behind a pile of chopped wood before Gale passed him on the way to the privy.  He was scratching his balls as he entered the outhouse, closing the door behind him with a bang.  Valerie watched as Alec calmly emerged from behind the stack of firewood and yanked open the door to the privy.  Percival Gale sat there, his breeches around his ankles, his face slack as he did his business.  His eyes flew open in shock as he realized he was no longer alone.

“Ah, I see you remember me,” Alec said conversationally
, leaning on the door jamb, his gun pointed at Gale’s chest. 

“Please, it was just a prank.  We weren’t going to ‘urt her or nothing, I swear.  Just let me get dressed
, and we can discuss this like men.” He began to rise from the wooden seat, but Alec pushed him back down.

“There’s nothing to discuss.  You sealed your fate the minute you laid a hand on my wife.” 
Percival Gale seemed inclined to say something else, but Alec didn’t wait to hear what it was.  The shot sounded surprisingly feeble in the quiet of the early morning.  Alec stood still for a moment as a trickle of blood ran from the man’s forehead down his face.  His eyes were still open, staring in horror as his body slumped on the privy.  Alec kicked the door shut and turned toward the house.  Bobby Mann was already running out the door, a rifle in his hands. 

“I’ll kill ye, ye bastard,” Bobby yelled as he raised the gun to fire.  He never stood a chance.  He fell face down, sprawled in the mud of the yard, the musket trapped beneath his body. 

Alec made sure Bobby was dead before turning his back on the corpse.  His eyes met Valerie’s across the yard as she came toward him, eager to get away from this gruesome scene.  She made sure not to look at the privy.  The door was half open, the body of Percival visible within.

“Alec, please, let’s go
,” she begged.  Her head was pounding, and her stomach did a summersault as she was sick against the wall of the house.  Alec was at her side in a moment, grabbing her before she collapsed again. 

“Let’s go,” she whispered.

“We can’t leave them this way.  I don’t want to be accused of murder, justified though it may be.”  Alec led her to a chopping block and sat her down, cupping her cheek tenderly.  “Just sit down for a moment.  I won’t be long.” 

Valerie was too
sick to argue.  She sank onto the chopping block, grateful to be off her feet.  Alec handed her his gun before setting to work.  He pulled Bobby’s body back into the house and went back for Percival.  Valerie looked away as he dragged the corpse past her, Percival’s eyes staring accusingly at his killer.  Her head was spinning, and all she wanted to do was lie down somewhere and never get up.  Alec reappeared a few moments later, closing the door of the house behind him.  Valerie was about to ask if he was going to just leave the two men inside when she saw the orange glow of flame through the window. 

“Come, love.  It’s time we were going.”  Alec put his arm around her waist, leading her away from the house.  Valerie could hear the crackling of flames behind her, the smell of burning wood strong in her nose. 
Her attackers would never have a Christian burial, but they would be cremated.

The horse was grazing about half a mile away from the farm, oblivious to what just happened.  It looked at them indifferently as Alec gave Valerie a leg-up, getting on behind her.  Valerie made sure not to lean against him, knowing it would hurt him, but he pulled her close, inhaling her scent and kissing her temple.  “
All the way here I kept thinking that had I been man enough to kill Gale the day he attacked me, none of this would have happened.  Men like him don’t accept defeat easily.  I should have known.  I nearly lost you because I failed to recognize the danger.” 

“Alec, it’
s over.  Don’t blame yourself. Just tell me how you found me.”  Valerie snuggled against him, needing to feel his solid form behind her.  She was still wearing his coat, but she was shivering as much from the shock of what happened as from the cold.

“It was by sheer luck
,” Alec answered cryptically, refusing to tell her any more.  Valerie’s eyes began to close as the motion of the horse lulled her to sleep.  She drifted off, surrendering to the oblivion of sleep after the trauma she’d been through.  She’d get the story out of Alec later.